Legendary Committment

Earlier this year, the world lost music legend Bob Weir, a founding member of the Grateful Dead.

I had the honor of attending (what turned out to be) his final show, August 3rd of last year on the occasion of the Dead’s 60th anniversary celebration in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. I brought along (even against their own will) as many family members as I could for the three days of concerts, having a sense that this was probably a final tour. The image above is from Weir’s very last concert.

Having seen the Dead off and on from the early 90’s, I was struck by the throughline of their music, and their commitment to craft. Blending rock, folk, blues, and country, the Grateful Dead were hard to define. What they did create was a deep fan base who
connected to their unwavering mission, their sprawling improvisation, and their creative visual iconography. It wasn’t for everyone—but then again that is true of many quirky and fascinating corners of the creative world.

Weir’s commitment to his life’s work was legendary. He joined what would eventually become the band while he was still in high school. Imagine practicing and perfecting a craft for 60 years. To me, the most compelling part of the Dead has been their ability to transcend generations through their continual innovation.

Over the last five years, I began to notice younger and younger audience members. Their music has passed from the generation before me, to my generation, and onto the next one. Very few creative endeavors can claim consistent relevance.

Music and wine have many parallels. They are both timeless and yet need this relevance to the moment. At Obsidian, our mission is to do just that with wine. This release highlights both tradition (Cuvée Kati) and experimentation (Vin Chanmé Gamay). We
know that quality wine—like quality music—can be transcendent. What is true about history and music is also true about wine: while it doesn’t repeat, it does rhyme.

Weir’s obituary concluded with this quote: “I’m hoping that people of varying persuasions will find something they can agree on in the music that I’ve offered, and find each other through it.”

You can’t ask for a better legacy than that.